Are Heated Floors Worth It

Recently, we were asked are heated floors worth it? We found three factors that will help determine if radiant heated floors are a worthy investment in your home.

• Are you building a new home or doing an extensive remodel? If you can answer yes to this question, then it's most likely a better value. The reason is that heated floors are expensive to install, and if you are building a new home, then it's more cost-effective.
• Is comfort a high priority? If so, an overwhelming number of homeowners with heated floors report that they have a higher sense of comfort. Why? Because you can walk around in bare feet and your feet never get cold.
• Do you have an instant hot water heater? If yes, then you can add your heated floors to that system, and you can heat your home, hot water heater, and even your hot tub with the same instant hot water heater.

Space heating has evolved a lot throughout the years. What was once a limited technology now offers a myriad of options for homeowners. If you have a central HVAC system, it is likely that you’ve already considered, if not already employed, some add-ons like radiant heating for floors. Heated floors may be somewhat of a luxury for some, but it makes more sense if you live in an area of the country with a freezing and below-zero winter climate.

To provide all-around comfort, not only do you want to make sure that the air temperature is comfortably warm, but you also want the same temperature for your floors. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night only to step on freezing cold floors.

What Is An Underfloor Heating System & Are Heated Floors Worth It

This home heating innovation makes use of tubing installed underneath floors to distribute heat evenly. It is both an efficient and cost-effective method of heating. Heated floors are not only comfortable, but they also have better aesthetic quality because the mechanism is invisible.

If you do consider installing heated floors, you need to make sure that you are hiring a contractor with expertise in this area. Not all HVAC contractors specialize in underfloor heating systems.

How Does Electric Floor Heating Work

Electric floor heating works by using plastic mats that conduct heat containing electric-warmed coils. These coils are resistance wires made from copper or nichrome with water-resistant polymer wrapping. To picture the mechanism, imagine the inside of a large electric blanket.

To install electric flooring, the contractor will roll out the matting and install flooring material on top of it. Electric floors are perfect for individual rooms because electricity might be an expensive energy source if chosen to heat the floors of an entire house.

As far as flooring compatibility, electric heater floors work best with ceramic floor tiles but are also suitable with most flooring options, including hardwood. Since electric floor heating systems are often installed in rooms, it is easy enough to control with a single thermostat or switch. Heating time usually takes about 30 minutes, so you need to set the thermostat at least an hour before you intend to use the room.

When it comes to the cost of installing an electric floor heating system, expect to spend around $400 to $800 for a small room. While you can do a DIY installation for a small room, you still need an electrician to lay down the wiring. Retrofitting your bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom with these systems requires you to tear up the existing flooring. The best time to do this is to schedule a renovation to minimize the inconvenience.

How Does The Hydronic Floor Heating System Work

The other option for your home is a hydronic floor heating system. It works by pumping hot water coming from a boiler into tubing laid underneath the floor. Some hydronic floor heating systems have water control valves to regulate temperature. Compared with other heated floor systems, hydronic heating systems are the most cost-effective option. Since it is cheaper to install and operate, you can have a hydronic heating system installed for the entire home.

What To Consider Before Installing Heated Floors

While it is certainly an excellent addition to any home, these systems require a lot of considerations. You have to make sure that the system operates with the correct heat output to heat floors at the right temperature. The factors which affect the heat output of underfloor heating systems include the following:

• Floor Size. It only follows that the larger the floor area, the higher the heat output required. However, you have to bear in mind that larger rooms equate to bigger heat loss. If the heated floor section is less than 80% of the room size, the system will not be able to create enough heat for the room to be comfortable unless it has efficient insulation.
• Floor Type & Temperature. Another factor that directly affects heat output is the floor temperature. Not all floor types have a high heating capacity, so the heat output also depends on the type of flooring material you choose. Solid materials like ceramic tile and natural stone like granite have excellent thermal conductivity. These materials have higher heating output and can be heated up to 29+°C. Softer flooring materials like wood, vinyl, and linoleum have poor thermal conductivity. You can only heat these materials up to 27°C. If you require higher heat output, you need to consider flooring material with a higher thermal conductivity as well.
• Thermostat Type. Floor heating systems controlled by a thermostat use a floor probe to measure temperature. The thermostat’s accuracy can also impact the heating output of heated floors. If the thermostat has poor control or probes are poorly positioned, it may cause over or under-heating, which can damage the floor. As much as possible, you should invest in a high-quality thermostat to control floor heating.
• Floor Insulation. To increase heat output, you can also add insulation installed below the heating units. Without insulation, the heat generated by the system will escape below the flooring and not move upwards as intended. This heat loss will translate to increased energy consumption and inefficient heat output.
• Heating System Power. The maximum power required for an underfloor heating system is measured in watts per square meter. For a modern, well-insulated home, heated floors require the power of between 65-85W/m² to produce the desired heat output.
• Rooms With Permanent Fixtures. Underfloor heating systems installed in bathrooms with permanent fixtures mean a smaller floor area is fitted with heating. This will affect the heat output; hence, much of the floor area should be covered with underfloor heating.

These factors should be discussed accordingly by the contractor you hire to install heated floors. Making sure to cover all these elements will not only maximize the heat output but guarantee an efficient system worth the investment.

Are Heated Floors Worth It As An Investment

If it's such a great addition to any home, then why aren’t all homes investing in it? Cost is a primary consideration for homeowners who are looking into this option. If you already have a central heating system. On average, heated floors will set you back around $4 to $6 per square meter of flooring. Add to this the cost of installation and flooring retrofit.

If budget is a consideration, you can look into the option of having heated floors in certain areas of the home. Are they best for bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens? Small spaces fitted with underfloor heating will not cost much and will not amount to a high increase in energy bills. You can think of it as a small slice of luxury in your home.

Talk to our experts at Fischer Heating if you want to learn more about getting an underfloor heating system and if heated floors are worth it for your entire home or for specific rooms. They are available to provide you with specific information on costs associated with retrofitting and installation.